OSWEGO - Emergency medical services providers throughout Oswego County were recognized recently for their outstanding service in 2011. The fifth annual Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Awards Banquet was held at Bayshore in Oswego.

The Oswego County Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council (EMSAC), which organized the event, expressed appreciation for the major sponsors of the 2012 EMSAC Awards Banquet. This year's Gold sponsors were Oswego County Ambulance Service (Menter's) and Entergy. Silver sponsors included Constellation Energy and Uniforms Etc., while Oswego Health was a Bronze sponsor. Jeff Paquette of Entergy provided photos of the presentations.

Guest speaker Dr. Derek Cooney, director of EMS and Disaster Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University, commended Oswego County's EMS providers as "meeting high levels of standards and following protocols that are relatively new across the country." He told the group, "EMS unique because it's also operational. Without (EMTs in the field) the operation doesn't work."

The annual banquet honored more than 40 EMS providers. In some categories, Oswego County EMS Coordinator James Jones noted there were several recipients. "The simple fact is this," he said. "When there is excellence among us, in the business of saving lives, we're going to celebrate it."

EMSAC President Norm Wallis, director of Operations for NOCA in Pulaski, offered his congratulations to the recipients and thanked the EMS community, "for all the hard work and dedication you give to the public when they are sick or injured. It's a very important thing you do."

CITED FOR EMS LEADERSHIP - Norm Wallis, left, chair of Oswego County Emergency Medical Services, congratulates SOVAC Director of Operations Michael Montgomery as he receives the EMS Leadership Award during the 2012 Banquet. "Mike's efforts have contributed to a highly competent EMS service that meets the needs of its citizens while acting as an available mutual aid partner," Wallis said.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN HONORED - Kelley Davis of NOCA accepts the Donald J. Ketcham Jr. Basic Life Support Provider of the Year Award from Oswego County EMSAC Chair and NOCA Director of Operations Norm Wallis. "Kelly's quality and dedication to EMS service has been recognized by her peers and her patients," Wallis said.

RECOGNIZED BY COLLEAGUES - Nathan Smith, right, of Oswego County Ambulance Service accepts the Donald J. Ketcham Jr. Basic Life Support Provider of the Year Award from his director of operations Zach Menter. "Those that submitted Nate's name for this award pointed out his energy, enthusiasm, assessment skills and command of the BLS skills as reasons he should be recognized," Menter said.

LIFESAVING SKILLS - One of three Lifesaving Awards was presented to Eric Koproski (right) of Oswego Town Volunteer Fire Department during the 2012 Oswego County EMS Banquet. "Eric was at the Oswego Farmers' Market last summer when he noticed a person lying on the ground," Oswego Fire Chief Jeff McCrobie said during the presentation. "He implemented his BLS lifesaving skills and turned his patient over to Oswego Ambulance when they arrived. Eric's patient is with us today thanks to his efforts."

EXCELLENCE IN CARE - Michael Montgomery, left, director of operations for SOVAC, presents the Excellence in STEMI (heart attack) Care Award to his employee Garret Snyder. "Garret treated a 76-year-old patient for chest pressure," Montgomery noted. "His calm explanations and subsequent life support procedures . . . allowed the patient to be transported directly to St. Joseph's Hospital where she received a stent 17 minutes after arrival."

HONORED FOR PARAMEDIC SERVICE - Alan Dane of North Shore Ambulance Squad accepts the Advance Life Support Provider of the Year Award from his director of operations Kathy LaVigne. "Alan has been doing EMS for over 30 years, including EMT-Paramedic duty for North Shore Ambulance for the past 10 years," she said. "His peers noted his longevity, unfailing attendance and willingness to do what ever is needed to keep his agency going as reasons for this award."

CITED FOR ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT - Oswego County Ambulance Service Director of Operations Zach Menter presents the Advanced Life Saving Provider of the Year Award to his employee Bryan Easton. "Bryan has been responsible for handling a number of difficult and high stress calls," Menter noted. "(He) is known for questioning his own performance after a call and doesn't hesitate to seek advice in order to give the best possible care to his patients."

ACTIVE BLS PROVIDER - Oswego Fire Chief Jeff McCrobie, left, presents Shawn Simoneau of Scriba Volunteer Fire Department with the Donald J. Ketcham Jr. BLS Provider of the Year Award. "Shawn has been an EMT for six years and is an active member," McCrobie said. "He has been a record responder for his department." In one call, he was the first arriving EMT to a gunshot wound victim "and had to handle his patient with minimal resources."

REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSE OF EXCELLENCE - Erin McKinstry, RN (right), of Oswego Hospital accepts the Registered Professional Nurse of Excellence Award from Oswego Health President and CEO Ann Gilpin. "Erin has worked at Oswego Health for many years as both an LPN and currently as an RN," Gilpin said. "Her aggressive pursuit of further education and certification has not gone unnoticed." McKinstry's recent certification as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner allows her to offer a unique advocacy to her patients. EMS providers appreciate that McKinstry works well with them.

EMS EDUCATOR OF EXCELLENCE - David Engle, right, of Oswego Fire Department accepts the Michael McDonald EMS Educator of Excellence Award from Oswego Fire Chief Jeff McCrobie. "It is safe to say that Dave is uniquely responsible for the quality and organization of the current course sponsorship at Oswego Fire Department," the chief said. "He puts 100 percent into the development and delivery of instruction."

SAVING A LIFE TOGETHER - EMSAC Chair and NOCA Director of Operations Norm Wallis presents a Lifesaving Award to members of NOCA and Altmar Volunteer Fire Department who were involved in a "man down/CPR in progress" call last November. Those on the call included Kelley Davis and Matt Morrell of NOCA and Corey Holcomb, Kelly Kaminsky, Wayne Kaminsky, Mike Ford, Mark Bailey, Don Spearance, Kevin Haywood, Wayne Dealing and Steve Steinfeld of Altmar VFD.

LIFESAVING AT OSWEGO SPEEDWAY - Oswego Fire Chief Jeff McCrobie presents a Lifesaving Award to members of the Oswego Fire Department and Oswego Speedway EMS for their efforts during a race last year. Those on the call included Paul Conzone, a medic with the OFD and EMS coordinator for the speedway; Mike Cook, Bill Harrington, Tom Amedio, George Feeney, Brian Conzone, Mark Kapuscinski, Chris Chetney, Rick Wallace, Ed Maxon, Joe Smegelsky, Gary Richardson, and Don Forbes. "Thanks to the work of this team, the patient has made a full recovery," the chief said.

COMMUNICATIONS AWARD - Denise Rojek, a senior telecommunicator at the Oswego County E-911 Communications Center, accepts EMSAC's Communications Award from E-911 Director Michael Allen during the EMS Banquet. "Denise is well known for her compassion and her competence," Allen said. "Those attributes paid off when Denise was acting as call-taker and received a call for an 8-month-old infant who was not breathing."

OSWEGO FIRE DEPARTMENT HONORED - Oswego Fire Chief Jeff McCrobie presents members of his department with a Lifesaving Award for their efforts in the Staples parking lot a year ago on a call for a patient with difficulty breathing that degraded to a full cardiac arrest. Those on the call included Wayne Hall, David Wingard, Alan Buske, Tim Hubbard, Donald Sawyer, and Peter Donovan.